1. Field of the Invention:
The invention relates to a device for supplying textile tubes to supply cells of a horizontal, trough supply tank situated over the winding units of a textile machine, and especially an open-end spinning machine.
2. Description of the Related Art:
The hitherto known devices for supplying tubes to such machines utilize a slide path comprising the upper parts of the surfaces of the textile tubes that are already seated in the supply cells. Tubes are continuously supplied, at intervals depending upon the selected number of the tubes, from an intermediate tank fitted with a dosing device for supplying the textile tubes individually to the empty or free carriers of a traction transporter which moves the tubes forward over the supply cells. Due to the force of gravity, the first textile tube slides into the first supply cell. The upper part or surface of that tube then serves as a slide path for the next textile tube supplied which can slide over the tube already in the supply cell. In a continuous manner, the next textile tube slides over the tops of the tubes in cells and into the next free supply cell, and so on until all supply tanks are full.
Then, a traction transporter continuously supplies a second set of textile tubes to be positioned as a second layer, i.e., in each supply cell a textile tube of this second layer is positioned atop a textile tube already seated in the supply cell. If then, as the need arises, a supply cell has been emptied, the textile tube of the second upper layer enters the respective supply cell due to the force of gravity.
This system of supplying textile tubes to cells can be carried out in practice, however, only during the so called "collective emptying" of the supply cells, i.e., when all the textile tubes seated in all the supply cells are removed one by one.
However, if the supply cells are emptied irregularly, or according to actual need, which can occur repeatedly at the same supply cell, refilling of the supply cells have been carried out so that a traction means permanently circulates to transport the second layer of the textile tubes. Any textile tube of this layer can then enter any empty supply cell, and the respective free carrier of the traction transporter receives another tube from the dosing device.
This system, however, is unsatisfactory when the emptying of a supply cell and its refilling takes place simultaneously.